The forthcoming book on the personal collection of Laurence and Patrick Seguin promises to be an exceptional tribute to the visionary work of JEAN PROUVÉ, an iconic figure in 20th-century design and architecture. Through a meticulous selection of furniture — mainly prototypes or extremely rare pieces — architectural elements, and demountable houses, this publication immerses us in Prouvé’s unique universe, where aesthetics serve function.

This new bilingual edition presents the collection of Jean Prouvé pieces assembled by Laurence and Patrick Seguin over the years. Illustrated with a wealth of contemporary photographs and previously unpublished archival drawings, it highlights a wide variety of pieces designed by Prouvé over more than three decades.

Laurence and Patrick Seguin, among the most prominent collectors and advocates of Jean Prouvé’s work, invite us to discover their personal collection, which brings together emblematic pieces by the constructor — some rare and little-known, such as the Saint-Brévin table (1939), others iconic like the Métropole chair or the Cité armchair (1930). This is a deep dive into modernity, exploring the architecture of this impressive collection.

“Over the years, Jean Prouvé has become the foundation of this collection, as his modernity anticipates many contemporary approaches — and because we live daily with his creations. There is a true dialogue, a real synergy, between his furniture and contemporary art.”

Offering an intimate perspective on the theme Living with a Collection, this book illustrates how these masterpieces, acquired since the late 1980s, integrate harmoniously into the daily lives of Laurence and Patrick Seguin. Between their apartment, their gallery in Paris, and their estate in the Var — where the demountable houses are displayed outdoors in dialogue with nature — this collection embodies a profound passion for Prouvé’s work and shows how his creations continue to live and inspire. This unique private collection, now preserved as a coherent whole, is presented during exhibitions or exceptional projects such as this exclusive publication.

The preface, written by Laurence and Patrick Seguin, is followed by an essay by Mark Wigley, architect, historian, and theorist of architecture. Renowned for his research and writings on contemporary architecture, he is also a professor at Columbia University in New York, where he teaches and leads research on architectural history.

Following a series of acclaimed exhibitions in France, Japan, and Italy, this refined publication dedicates a chapter to the four remarkable exhibitions devoted to Jean Prouvé, organized between 2014 and 2022 by Galerie Patrick Seguin.

These events, showcasing selected works from their personal collection, were held in collaboration with the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli in Turin, the French Embassy in Tokyo, Château La Coste (Southern France), and the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, thus bringing international visibility to the collection.

This book is an enriched reissue of the volume first published in 2013 by Galerie Patrick Seguin, on the occasion of the exhibition organized in partnership with the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli, and stands as a reference work for enthusiasts worldwide.

• Language: French-English
• Number of pages: 415 pages